US headed for 'painful' two weeks: Donald Trump on COIVID-19 situation

Apr 01, 2020, at 09:52 am

Washington/IBNS/Xinhua/UNI: US President Donald Trump on Tuesday alerted his nation that the countrymen should brace for "painful" weeks ahead.

Thailand to shut down Phuket airport for 20 days amid COVID-19 outbreak

Mar 31, 2020, at 07:33 pm

Bangkok/Xinhua/UNI: Thailand's Phuket International Airport will be shut from April 10 to 30 after Phuket Province sealed its entry points by land and sea amid the COVID-19 outbreak, Thai authorities announced on Tuesday.

‘Immediate nationwide ceasefire’ needed for all-out effort to counter COVID-19 in Syria

Mar 31, 2020, at 04:47 pm

New York/IBNS: Syria is at “high risk” of being unable to contain the COVID-19 pandemic, the UN Special Envoy for the country said on Monday, reiterating calls for a “complete, immediate nationwide ceasefire” to enable an all-out-effort to counter the march of the new coronavirus.

Release inmates in Yemen to avert nationwide coronavirus outbreak, experts urge

Mar 31, 2020, at 04:30 pm

New York/IBNS: An international panel of human rights experts called today for the immediate release of political prisoners and detainees in war-ravaged Yemen to help avert a nationwide outbreak of COVID-19.

COVID-19 cases come down in Italy despite rising death count: Report

Mar 31, 2020, at 03:50 pm

Rome/IBNS: Amid a growing death rate, the coronavirus spread in Italy is slowing as the country has started recording fewer COVID-19 cases, a media report said.

Russia registers 500 new cases of COVID-19 in 24 hours

Mar 31, 2020, at 03:47 pm

Moscow/Sputnik/UNI: Russia has registered 500 new cases of COVID-19 over the past 24 hours, which brings the total number of cases in the country to 2,337, the country's operational headquarters for preventing the spread of coronavirus said in a statement on Tuesday.

Vietnam to close border gates with Laos, Cambodia to prevent spread of COVID-19

Mar 31, 2020, at 03:46 pm

Hanoi/Xinhua/UNI: Vietnam's Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced on Tuesday that it will close its border gates and border crossings with Laos and Cambodia starting from Wednesday in an effort to limit the spread of the COVID-19 in the country.

UN helps Pacific prepare for COVID-19 pandemic, warns that children are ‘hidden victims’

Mar 31, 2020, at 01:43 pm

New York/IBNS: United Nations agencies are working together to provide vital support to Pacific Island countries as they rally to combat COVID-19 outbreaks across the region.

China's GDP growth to decline to 2.3 pc in baseline scenario in 2020, warns World Bank

Mar 31, 2020, at 01:43 pm

Washington/Sputnik/UNI/IBNS: China's GDP growth is expected to decline to 2.3 per cent in the baseline scenario in 2020 due to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, the World Bank said in a report.

Nepal: Chinese defy COVID-19 lockdown, clash with locals in Lamjung

Mar 31, 2020, at 01:37 pm

Lamjung/IBNS: Several Chinese construction workers in Nepal, who broke lockdown norms implemented by the government due to the COVID-19 outbreak in the Himalayan nation, on Tuesday clashed with locals in Lamjung district after they were asked not to break rules bringing construction materials to the village, media reports said.

COVID-19 stoking xenophobia, hate and exclusion, minority rights expert warns

Mar 31, 2020, at 01:22 pm

Combatting the COVID-19 pandemic must also include stamping out what one independent human rights expert has called the “darker sides” of the disease: verbal and physical attacks against Chinese and other minority communities, and excluding them from access to healthcare.

Covid-19: Hindus, Christians denied food supplies in Pakistan

Mar 31, 2020, at 01:13 pm

Islamabad/IBNS: The world is unitedly trying to beat the COVID-19 outbreak and the disease has even extended its killer arms in Pakistan but for the administration in the South Asian nation religious discrimination still remains a top priority with reports emerging that Hindus were denied food supplies by the authority which they said were meant for the Muslims, media reports said.

S.Korea to begin new school year with online classes from April 9

Mar 31, 2020, at 12:20 pm

Seoul/Xinhua/UNI: South Korea decided Tuesday to begin this year's new school year with online classes from April 9 in a gradual manner amid lingering concerns about the COVID-19 outbreak.

Taliban prisoner release postponed: Afghan National Security Council Spokesman

Mar 31, 2020, at 12:15 pm

Moscow/Sputnik/UNI:  The release of Taliban prisoners, expected to begin Tuesday, has been delayed, Afghan National Security Council spokesman Javid Faisal said.

China's GDP growth to decline to 2.3 pc in baseline scenario in 2020: World Bank

Mar 31, 2020, at 12:14 pm

Washington/Sputnik/UNI: China's GDP growth is expected to decline to 2.3 per cent in the baseline scenario in 2020 due to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, the World Bank said in a report.

Amid COVID 19 outbreak, Van Gogh's painting Spring Garden stolen from Dutch museum

Mar 31, 2020, at 10:46 am

Laren/IBNS: An iconic painting- Spring Garden- by Van Gogh has been stolen from a museum in Dutch town of Laren which was shuttered in the wake of coronavirus spread.

Baloch journalist goes missing in Sweden, Baloch National Movement doubts ISI's role

Mar 30, 2020, at 07:47 pm

Upsalla/IBNS: Baloch journalist Sajid Hussain Baloch, who had fled Pakistan for life in 2012 and has been living in self-exile for several years, has gone missing from Swedish city Upsalla for nearly a month now, media reports said.

Imran Khan government's slow approach exposed as COVID 19 grips Pakistan

Mar 30, 2020, at 07:32 pm

Islamabad/IBNS: Pakistani government is failing to implement proper measures to curb the spread of the deadly disease and with clerics refusing to close their mosques, the situation of COVID-19 outbreak in the South Asian country is escalating further every day.

COVID-19: Bangladesh reports one more Coronavirus infection case in past 23 hours

Mar 30, 2020, at 06:59 pm

Dhaka/UNI: One more person has been infected with coronavirus or COVID-19 in Bangladesh in the last 24 hours, officials said on Monday.

Over 2,000 sent to put out forest fire in China's Sichuan

Mar 30, 2020, at 04:43 pm

Chengdu/Xinhua/UNI:  Over 2,000 people were dispatched to put out a forest fire in southwest China's Sichuan Province, a local fire department said.

Chinese yuan weakens to 7.0447 against USD Monday

Mar 30, 2020, at 04:40 pm

Beijing/Xinhua/UNI: The central parity rate of the Chinese currency renminbi, or the yuan, weakened 20 pips to 7.0447 against the U.S. dollar Monday, according to the China Foreign Exchange Trade System.

Passenger train derails in China, zero casualties

Mar 30, 2020, at 04:38 pm

Beijing/UNI: A passenger train on Monday derailed in central China's Hunan Province due to landslide that was triggered due to heavy rains in the region, however, so far no death was reported.

UNGA president supports UN $2bln COVID-19 response plan

Mar 30, 2020, at 04:31 pm

United Nations/Sputnik/UNI:  The United Nations' $2 billion appeal to fight the coronavirus in some of the most vulnerable countries is a "good, timely call," UNGA President Tijjani Muhammad-Bande told Sputnik.

Bomb blast in Afghanistan's Kandahar leaves 1 civilian killed, 1 soldier wounded: Source

Mar 30, 2020, at 12:46 pm

Kabul/Sputnik/UNI: A bomb blast in the village of Nave Mazri, in the Arghandab district of Kandahar Province, left one civilian killed and one Afghan National Army soldier injured, a source told Sputnik.

Thailand's Phuket on lockdown until April 30 to curb COVID-19 spread : reports

Mar 30, 2020, at 12:39 pm

Moscow/Sputnik.UNI: Phuket, Thailand’s biggest island and major tourist destination, was put on lockdown on Monday in a bid to contain the spread of the coronavirus, national media reported, citing the governor’s order.

North Korea tests 'super-large’ rocket launcher, test appears successful - Reports

Mar 30, 2020, at 12:30 pm

Moscow/Sputnik/UNI:  The two short-range projectiles fired by North Korea on Sunday were a test of a ‘super-large’ multiple rocket launcher, the South Korean Yonhap News Agency reports.

Twelve IS inmates escape prison in NE Syria

Mar 30, 2020, at 12:26 pm

Damascus/Xinhua/UNI:  A total of 12 inmates of the Islamic State (IS) militant group escaped a prison run by Kurdish militia in Syria's northeastern province of Hasakah on Sunday, state TV reported.

COVID 19 death rate likely to hit its peak in 2 weeks: Trump

Mar 30, 2020, at 10:08 am

Washington/IBNS: US President Donald Trump on Sunday said the highest peak of the death rate due to COVID 19 outbreak in the country is likely to hit in the next two weeks.

JKPJF condemns Kabul terror attack, demands action against perpetrators

Mar 29, 2020, at 10:46 pm

Srinagar 25/03/20:  The Chairman the newly launched JK People's Justice Front, Aga Syed Abbas Razvi, has condemned the Kabul terror attack saying targeting of a religious place in the midst of the Covid-19 is against Islam and against the teachings of Holy Prophet Mohammad.

Saudi authorities impose curfew in Jeddah amid coronavirus pandemic - Interior Ministry

Mar 29, 2020, at 08:06 pm

Beirut/Sputnik/UNI: Saudi Arabia has imposed a curfew in the western Jeddah province starting from Sunday at 15:00 local time (12:00 PM GMT) due to the spread of COVID-19, the Interior Ministry said.